


The Temple of Their Bed

by SophieTrancy



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Derek Hale Takes Care of Stiles Stilinski, Established Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Explicit Language, FBI Agent Stiles Stilinski, Fluff, M/M, Married Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Mates Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Memory Loss, Stiles Stilinski Accepts The Bite, Werewolf Stiles Stilinski, Wolf Derek Hale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:53:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26393704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophieTrancy/pseuds/SophieTrancy
Summary: It, whatever it was, started big.It started with his name.Not his last name. Not where his husband’s name went along with his.Like… what the actual fuck?Memory loss AU
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 17
Kudos: 338





	The Temple of Their Bed

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who's back?!
> 
> Hey, everyone! Welcome back!
> 
> I'm uploading this one-shot because, honestly, I have so many Sterek works I never shared with you. I thought this was the best time to do so. You will see this was written a while ago and that I made some changes to the canon. Let me know if you have any questions!
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

It, whatever _it_ was, started big. 

It started with his name. Not his last name. Not where his husband’s name went along with his. Not even his monstrosity of a first name. No. No, he forgot his nickname. The one people knew him for, the one written on his FBI id card. 

Stiles was at the Bureau when it happened, filling out a report. And his fingers hovered over the keys of his computer keyboard, frozen, an odd sort of frown taking over his face as he pushed the boundaries of his mind for what he was looking for. 

Like… _what the actual fuck?_

Then he huffed, eyes rolling after landing on his ring finger, where a beautiful cursive 'D' was tattooed underneath his wedding band.

 _Stiles._

_Obviously._

_That's my name._

Because _Derek,_ my _husband,_ has an 'S' tattooed on _his_ finger. 

Stiles gave himself a moment to breathe after that, forgetting all about the phone ringing and the apparent new lead in their most recent murder case. Stiles had just solved one, so he had gotten a couple days of desk duty before going back on the field. 

But, given the circumstances of this particular case, Stiles had been told he shouldn’t get _too_ comfortable because their director was sure to _beg_ him for his help. Stiles had been the one to crack the FBI’s most difficult and oldest serial killer case. On his first week, to top it all off. That hadn’t been the _best_ start to career long coworker partnerships. 

All the other trainees who started the program with him, still had some sort of problem with him, to this day. Because the case had gotten him promoted to the Behavioral Science Unit and Murder division within his fist month, while they had to start small and climb their way up the chain. Stiles had never thought much of himself, but he had been given the chance to shine and he wasn't going to let anyone get in the way of that. So, he was waiting on the phone call that would get him back on the playing field.

Stiles knew he shouldn't dismiss how tired he was, but he couldn’t help it. Solving hideous crimes was his thing and he had set the bar really high with his last few cases. He was on a roll, for Christ’ sake. He told himself he’d be fine after this next case, ignoring the tiny voice on the back of his head screaming about how he’d said the exact same thing five cases ago. 

Nothing of the sort had ever happened to him before. Sure, he was known to be forgetful about the ordinary stuff, like adding things to their grocery list or where he parked the car. But his _name_? It was surely a first for him. And it would have been fine, had it been an isolated scenario. A one-time thing. Except it wasn’t. In fact, things only got worse from there. Much, _much_ worse.

The next thing he ‘forgot’ was the number of his and Derek's flat. They only planned on living there for another two years, when Stiles would be old enough to apply for an office position, instead of working field missions this much. He mainly worked behind the scenes, since he worked profiling serial killers and dangerous criminals. But now, more often than not, when the case was just too gruesome or when the details just weren’t right _there_ and demanded a bit more interpretation, it was Stiles they called. Some people thought that his ability to understand the mind of murderers was freaky and treated him as an outcast, but Stiles didn’t mind. He had a great team, good friends and an even more amazing husband to come home to.

Obviously, nobody at the office knew a thing about Stiles’ _real_ first case with the Bureau. It had been Derek. Stiles had nearly been kicked out of the class, he made such a fuss at the sight of Derek. Of course the guy was back on a wanted list. _Interpol'_ s wanted list, mind you. Part of him had been angry. The _balls_ on the guy! Stiles had hoped to leave everything behind and there _he_ was, running naked through the woods. Stiles figured it had to be a Hale thing. 

And Stiles was even angrier because he couldn’t stay away. So much had happened between them over the years, Stiles couldn’t find it in him to just turn his back. Stiles had been kept up to date by Lydia and Scott and, even though they had assured him they had it handled, which, let’s be honest, was a lie, Stiles knew he had to get involved. And he got the job done in record time, too.

Derek had looked at him as if Stiles had grown two heads. The room had exploded, dozens of FBI agents taking control of the building. Derek blinked, doing his best to hide the blue from his irises when he noticed they were surrounded by humans. And Stiles. Fucking Stiles Stilinski, coming to his rescue. Again. In a fucking bullet proof vest, for crying out loud. As if Derek needed any reminder of how hot the guy had gotten.

But Derek had been surprised to find out Scott had lied to him about how dangerous things were back at home. Stiles had been angry, pacing around in his kitchen. Stiles had stood by him while the FBI discharged him, now that the case had been solved. Then had taken him home, for a shower and a change of clothes. Only a pair of sweatpants fit him, along with an old Beacon Hills High t-shirt. 

Derek had been so hungry, he didn’t really pay that much attention to Stiles right at first. He had also been very concerned with his situation when it came to the federal government. He was so fucking tired of being chased. But now, with Stiles barefoot and wearing a short sleeve t-shirt, Derek swallowed his food and found himself staring. Stiles had gotten bigger, somehow. He had always been muscular, but lean as well. His FBI shirt was stretched across his chest now and his biceps bulged when he moved to run his fingers through his hair. Which, apparently, he kept longer now too.

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but we have to go back” Stiles said, spinning the chair so he could straddle it. Derek bit back a smile. He was relieved to find Stiles hadn’t changed all that much “I don’t like the idea any more than you do, I’m sure. But we can’t let them be slaughtered. I’ll kill Scott myself for lying to me”

Once the dust had settled and Beacon Hills was once more safe, Derek had found himself staring. Again. The whole thing with Jennifer had reminded him why Derek had decided to quit dating. But _Stiles_ , man. Something tugged at his heartstrings at the very sight of him. Derek had been so lost inside his own head he hadn’t noticed the Sheriff approaching.

“You gonna ask him out or what?” Derek opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. He felt the blush rising from his chest to his cheeks, arms crossing in a defensive stance. The Sheriff chuckled, resting against the hood of Derek’s car, just like he was “Stiles has had a crush on you since… hell, I don’t even know when. So, you know. There’s no better time than the present”

The Sheriff had clapped him on the shoulder, walking away to do only God knows what else. And Derek would forever be thankful for the world’s shortest pep talk. He had asked Stiles out the _second_ they were alone and had been faced with the brightest smile he had ever seen adorning his face. And, though a lot had changed, Derek was still trying to figure out where to go from there. Years had passed, they were married now. Stiles was a constant, the one thing Derek knew for sure.

After his assets had been unfrozen by the FBI, Derek had tried figuring out what to do with all of his family’s money. They had started a new life together, but Derek knew he needed to find his own path. Stiles had his career, Derek couldn’t help but want one for himself. And, after a lot of research, he found he couldn’t focus on only one topic. So he took up investing instead. Giving money to causes that mattered and companies who wanted to make a difference. Plus, he got to work from home.

And, surprisingly, Derek _enjoyed_ getting to stay at home. He had always felt restless before, but not after having Stiles by his side. He had wanted to settle down roots, for the first time in his life. And it didn’t matter where, as long as Stiles was there with him. There was just something so calming and reassuring about taking care of their home, of keeping it clean and organized as he worked on his mind and body. 

Stiles was the strong one in their relationship, no matter how many times Stiles told him to take those words back. Stiles was the one who went to work everyday and made the world a better place. So, he found pleasure and his wolf found pride in doing his best to make Stiles feel better every time he came home.

But then Stiles was arriving home on Saturday after doing groceries, back still tender from where Derek had given him a mild case of beard burn after some really hot sex earlier that day. And he just couldn't, _for the life of him,_ remember what floor he and Derek lived on. He had stood there, like a total fool, while his mind blanked. Just like that day at the office. It was the same feeling. Not quite like he had ever experienced it before. The blanking was much stronger, leaving him with a pounding headache not a moment after.

It took him time, but he found it. More through muscle memory than anything else, really. He let his feet guide him to his husband, hands tired from holding the bags for so long. Of course, he had to keep himself in shape for work, but there was a limit for everything. And Derek knew there was something wrong as soon as he opened the door to help Stiles with the groceries. Saturday nights were take out nights, but Stiles had wanted to go for a run and do the groceries instead of doing those things on Sunday, saying it’d give them more time together the next day. 

And Derek couldn’t argue with _that,_ obviously, but he had gotten up and had opened the door to help his husband, like he always did, smile ready to greet his lover. But it vanished as soon as he smelled the anxiety coming off of him. Ever since moving in together, Derek’s wolf had learned to pick up on Stiles’ emotions that much faster. Derek’s ears were sharper when it came to his heartbeat, his footsteps, his breathing. Finding Stiles had become his specialty.

"What's wrong?" Derek had asked, letting go of the bags he had grabbed from his husband and turning to Stiles. They stood in their kitchen, with Derek’s hands gently cupping his cheeks “I could smell the anxiety a mile away, what happened?”

Stiles _hated_ worrying Derek, he already did that to his wolf by literally going to work everyday. He even considered not saying anything, but he couldn't, not with the way the wolf held him, not after the slight whine that escaped Derek upon noticing his hesitation. They told each other everything and the mere thought that Stiles was considering lying to him made his wolf groan in frustration.

"I forgot what floor we lived on" Stiles shrugged, hands coming to hold Derek's arms, caressing his soft hairs there. Derek frowned, not expecting such an answer, at all. His hand slid to Stiles’ neck, bringing the man’s eyes back to him, thumb going back and forth on his skin. He put the slightest amount of pressure and Stiles closed his eyes, whimpering.

"What do you mean, you... _forgot?"_ Derek never dismissed him, which Stiles was thankful for. It was one of the _many_ things he loved about his husband. But today, he wished Derek would just drop it.

"Meaning, I had absolutely no idea what button to push in the elevator" Stiles sighed. He had learned how to read Derek, no matter how much he had failed to do so back whey they had first met. Not only were they lovers, he was Derek’s anchor, his mate. Stiles had dedicated his career to reading people, it’s no surprise the one person he could read best was his husband.

"Has this happened before?" Derek whispered, trying his best not to let the sudden rush of fear that invaded him make his voice trumble. Derek had no reason to believe Stiles would joke about something like this, so he had to go with it. He told his wolf to shut up as a sharp growl erupted from within his chest.

Given Derek's reaction, the fear in his gorgeous eyes, he really didn't want to mention forgetting his own name. Stiles saw no point in doing that. Because then Derek was _definitely_ going to make a fuss about it. But when Stiles didn't say anything, it was answer enough. Derek sighed, coming to stand even closer to his husband.

"Talk to me" The words came out in a plea and Derek knew Stiles wouldn’t fight him on this. Stiles fought him on everything, something Derek had learned to appreciate in him, but not today. Not about something like this.

"I forgot my name" Stiles whispered, though he knew very well Derek could hear him "For like, _two_ seconds" Stiles tried to salvage the situation, but he knew it was of no use. He had already done a fantastic job at terrifying Derek.

"What?" Stiles knew it was too late to try and make _that_ sound less bad than it already did. No matter how long it had lasted, no matter how it had knocked the air right out of Stiles’ lungs. But he just couldn’t stand the way Derek’s body tensed so he tried to explain it as best as he could.

"At work, I forgot my name" Stiles rested against Derek’s broad chest, tired. He could feel the tension radiating from his body in waves, almost like when Derek was close to the shift "Two seconds later..." He lifted his left hand, shaking his ring finger "... there it was"

"You remembered?" Derek felt his own tattoo tingle, caressing it along with the band with his thumb. The ink had to be special to show on his skin, so it always tingled when Stiles was around him. Most times, the feeling had become so familiar he barely gave it a second thought. But today, it almost throbbed.

"Of course I did" Stiles sighed softly, content with how familiar Derek smelled. He coaxed Derek to hug him back, which the wolf did, but it didn’t seem to make him feel any better. It was funny how all of it had happened to Stiles, and yet all he worried about was Derek. He didn’t have to be a wolf to be comforted by Derek's scent, but his own didn’t seem to have any effect on the wolf this time.

"Have you told anyone about this?" Derek’s mind was racing a mile a minute. He tried to tell himself this didn’t have to mean anything, but every single nerve ending in his body told him this wasn’t going to be the last time he heard of this. He sighed, doing his best to calm down. He had never been able to think straight whenever Stiles was involved. This time around wasn't any different.

"No, because it literally happened last week" Stiles had run out of things to say to try and calm the wolf down. He knew it was useless. Derek wouldn’t let this go, anytime soon "Derek, it's nothing"

"It's _not_ nothing" Derek sighed, moving to get started on putting the groceries away. He needed something to do with his hands. He needed to keep himself occupied before his mind wandered too far "I'm gonna schedule a neurologist appointment for you, leave me a copy of your schedule for next week, will you?" Stiles opened his mouth to protest, but Derek eyed him with an annoyed look. Stiles raised his hands in surrender. He would let Derek do whatever he wanted to reassure him he was okay “I’m sorry, but I’m not letting this go”

"I know" Stiles had to smile. He loved that Derek took such good care of him. Though it was an instinct Derek just couldn’t fight, Derek had explained once how much deeper it went because they loved each other, because they were married and shared a bond not a lot of people, or even wolves, got to have. 

They had survived hell together, had stopped hunt driven werejaguar ex-girlfriends and Japanese demonic possessions. And in the end they had found their way back to one another. It had brought tears to Stiles’ eyes, how sappy and perfect Derek’s words were. That big ol’ softy.

But scheduling the appointment went from mildly _okay_ to straight up _terrible_.

Because in the meantime, Stiles forgot how to go home from work. He had felt it coming, the searing pain in between his eyes as the words and numbers faded from his memory. He watched as their address slipped through the cracks and, through the panic that followed, he couldn't even remember how to work the GPS Derek had installed for him a couple months before. Didn't even know what turns to take. So much for muscle memory on this one.

It was pouring rain, it was dark and Stiles just couldn't find the way home inside his mind. He sat there, willing the information back to the front of his mind and kept failing. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he wanted all of this to go away, he couldn’t do it. He saw Derek’s face behind closed eyelids and couldn’t help the tears that spilled from his eyes. 

So, defeated, doing his best to swallow down the panic and frustration of his situation, with a shake to his voice, he called Derek, hand squeezing the device so tight his knuckles turned white. Thank God for contact lists. He would only make the situation that much worse if he somehow forgot how to work a phone. Though it wouldn’t matter if he had forgotten that instead of the way home. Stiles pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping the pain would go away soon.

"Hey, I was thinking, maybe, about...?" His husband’s voice brought fresh tears forth. He hadn’t noticed how frustrated this whole ordeal had been making him and, as he sat in his car, he felt like an iron fist had closed around his stomach. And it wouldn’t budge.

"Derek?" Stiles sniffed, free hand trying to fix the mess on his face. Stiles _really_ wished he hadn’t left their bed that morning. Maybe all of this shit wouldn’t have happened.

"What is it?" Derek stopped talking, senses enhancing instinctively to pay closer attention to his husband. Whatever was on his mind just fell away at the sound of his mate’s choked up voice. Derek immediately sat up, book forgotten on the coffee table as he all but stormed out the living room. Derek had always had a way with words, but Stiles just sobbed, his own voice cracking.

"I can't remember, Derek..." Stiles couldn’t believe he was saying those words to Derek, he could even picture his husband’s face, full of fear and pain. He knew how much this was hurting Derek and he couldn't stop it from happening. He felt like such a failure, like back when he was just a teenager. A human running with wolves. With a baseball bat.

"What, baby? I'm here, talk to me" Derek spoke, voice soft. Stiles could hear him standing from what sounded like their couch. If Stiles kept his eyes closed, he could focus enough to guess what Derek was doing. Getting up, searching for his shoes as he made his way to the front door "What can't you remember?"

"How to get home" Derek heard Stiles sniffing again, knowing then that he was already crying. Derek realized that it embarrassed Stiles to tell him these things. Derek hated how much Stiles didn’t want to be a bother, as if he could ever bother Derek. They were _married,_ for fuck’s sake. 

They had had a fight once, their only fight, once Derek said that this was for life for him. Which, to Stiles, had sounded like Derek didn't think it was for life for him too. Derek had never seen outrage like that before in his life.

But Derek had vowed to love, cherish and _take care_ of him, in sickness and in health. He could still remember the happy lump in his throat as he spoke those words, with Stiles’ hands in his. He hated that Stiles not telling him how bad this was getting stopped him from doing just _that_. They had promised each other _for life,_ there was no point keeping things a secret.

"It's okay, baby. Where are you? I'll come and get you" Derek was already out the door by the time Stiles answered, flagging a cab. He ignored everything, the cold and the rain, his enhanced sight unbothered by the darkness and water. Somewhere in his mind, he captured the sound of the door slamming shut. He had certainly used too much strength on that one. But he couldn’t bring himself to care. 

"Two blocks outside work" If Derek didn’t have enhanced hearing as well, he would have never heard that. Stiles seemed to have calmed down now that he knew Derek was coming for him, and he sound of the pouring rain hitting the roof of the cab didn’t help “In the parking lot to the left”

"Okay, baby" Derek gave the address to the cabbie and handed him a fifty, asking him to drive faster. All it took was one glance at Derek’s bulky form and exasperated stare for the man to sink the gas pedal and speed down the street to the intersection Derek had told him to go to "I'm already on my way, do you want to stay on the phone with me?"

"Can we do that, please?" It made Derek’s heart break and throb at how _broken_ his mate sounded. Derek had to bite his tongue to hold back the long howl that wanted to escape his wolf. The rational part of his brain knew the cabbie would stop the car and kick him out if he did let it out.

They talked about what to do when they got home until Derek arrived. What Stiles wanted to eat for dinner, what movie to watch. Derek didn’t bother saying anything to the cabbie, simply opening the door and stepping out into the rain without another word. Derek stuffed his phone inside his coat pocket, forgetting all about his drenched clothes as he opened Stiles' car door, sliding in.

And Stiles was hugging him before Derek barely had time to sit. 

"It's okay, I'm here now" Derek shushed him, his nose buried into his hair. Derek did his best to ignore how cold Stiles’ skin felt against his own, how the sobs wracked his body. They held each other, the rain pouring from the skies the only sound besides Stiles’ crying.

It took time for Stiles to calm down, which was unusual. Usually his presence alone calmed him down, but no such luck. Derek was suddenly very thankful to remember it was a Thursday, which meant Stiles could afford to call in sick the following day. Though Stiles' appointment wasn't until next Tuesday, Derek knew he wouldn’t rest until he changed that.

Derek had stayed on the phone with the doctor's office for almost half a morning the following day by the time they found a way to fit Stiles in the afternoon. Stiles hated sleeping in, but for the day, he was thankful Derek had turned off his alarm clock. 

They enjoyed an improvised lunch date, followed by a shared shower. Derek drove them to the doctor, all the way there with his hand stuck in between Stiles’ thighs. His mate kept his eyes closed the whole way, enjoying feeling Derek touch him as he became one with the soft swaying of the car. Derek’s touch was grounding, reassuring for the both of them.

The doctor's words left Stiles breathless. And Derek, angry. They waited for the appointment for what felt like forever. Derek had started running out of ways to entertain Stiles’ hyperactive brain when they were finally called in. The man was supposedly the expert in neurotrauma, but all Derek wanted to do was get his credentials and shove them where the sun didn’t shine. He hadn't been naïve enough to think they’d find the solution to all their problems with the first doctor, but they were off to a very bad start.

"Mr. Hale, given your mother's records, I can't possibly ignore the elephant in the room here. Were you ever diagnosed with..." Stiles’ hand shot to his, squeezing ridiculously hard. The topic had always been difficult for him. Derek doubted any of their friends knew the whole story, not like Derek did. Stiles had confided in him, in between kisses and caresses. Derek had never wanted to pressure him, but Stiles had confessed how comfortable and safe he felt. So the truth spilled out of him in the form of a flood.

"My dad had me tested when I was seventeen” There was a rush to his tone and Derek understood why. Said test had been performed in the weeks leading up to the Nogitsune taking Stiles for a host and it wasn’t the jolliest of memories to bring back. Especially when they couldn’t explain a single thing about those months to the man in front of them. Derek could understand Stiles’ distaste for being called out on it, but he hoped his husband knew it was a necessary evil “It came back negative"

"We will run some more tests to make sure we got your diagnosis right. But given your episodes so far, I can assure you it will only get worse from here” Derek closed his hand over Stiles’, feeling the trembling that had taken over them. Stiles’ scent carried a wedge of terror, underneath his usual scent of vanilla and coffee beans. He hadn’t taken his Adderall, Derek noticed. “And in your line of work, blanking out like this could be deadly. Not only to you and your husband, but those around you"

The car ride home was a silent one. And Derek had learned a long time ago that a silent Stiles was more dangerous than a rambling one. There was a slouch to his shoulders and Derek knew Stiles felt defeated. Stiles was one of the strongest people Derek had ever met, but he had to admit the prognostics wasn’t great. But Derek wasn’t about to sit there and let Stiles run from this fight.

That was probably why that evening, after dinner and a long shower, Derek was surprised by the kiss Stiles placed on his mouth. Derek wasn’t one to refuse a kiss like that, but he had to admit it felt off, in the beginning. Forced, perhaps. It was Stiles’ way of trying to pretend it was all going to be okay, even though not a single bone in his body believed it. Derek threw the dish towel on the counter, forgetting all about putting the dishes away. 

Derek knew what Stiles wanted, though perhaps not even he did. Perks of being mated to the love of your life, Derek had to guess. Derek slowed their kiss down, hands pulling him closer until their bodies slid together perfectly. Just the way Derek wanted. He had committed every inch of Stiles’ skin to memory, had mapped out every curve and every beauty mark across his back and stomach. He knew where to touch and kiss to get him to forget everything that wasn’t Derek.

Their kiss was so slow, it reminded Derek of their wedding night. They had had plenty of sex before getting married, but after their wedding, things had been different. Stiles had fallen into the role of his mate and they had established a bond that nothing could break. Literally, so many monsters and people had tried. The ceremony was just to rub the salt in the wound, as they stood together at the altar. 

Derek couldn’t help but make love to Stiles more. They still had their fair share of kinky moments, but those moments were special. Derek had learned to appreciate making Stiles fall apart, taking his time to really get him going before even making it to their bed. Just like caring for Stiles got him high, his wolf felt proud to know he was the one Stiles had chosen to own him, body and soul.

And this was one of those moments. Derek made love to Stiles that night. Slow and _gentle_ love. But, unlike Stiles, he couldn’t seem to fall asleep. He couldn’t even bring himself to stay in bed like he liked doing, watching Stiles sleep. Derek would fill his sleepless night with kissing away nightmares and mapping skin. But not this time. The temple of their bed provided him little solace.

He stood, walking into his office, rubbing his face. His emotions were all over the place and that wasn’t good for his wolf. Having Stiles not only as his mate and husband, but as a Mate and anchor, the man was able to keep him grounded and secure but it was also able to keep him very one track minded. The worst case of tunnel vision ever.

In certain situations, his feelings for Stiles made his most primal instincts take over, his protectiveness and violent responses to threats sometimes got in the way. They had come a long way, but Derek would have been a terrible werewolf-slash-boyfriend-turned-husband if he hadn’t learned when to _let_ those primal, most basic instincts out to play. He knew when to put Stiles first, even before his own needs. Tunnel vision, remember?

Derek hadn’t bothered with dressing in more than sweatpants. It had been a long while since Derek hadn’t had to do what he was about to. He stood before an old family chest, taking a deep breath. In his office, the smell of old paper and ink faded in comparison to Stiles’ vanilla scent and how the sex they had just had clung to his own skin. Derek knelt and pulled from it his mother’s things. The few things he had chosen to keep from his mother’s vault. 

A bunch of old journals. Ones Derek had read once and had set aside. They hadn’t seemed all that important at the time. Maybe if Derek still had a pack of his own, he would go to the trouble of reading through them. Talia had written about all kinds of events that had come to happen during her years as the matriarch. Described wolves who joined the extended pack, her shifts, wrote about her husband and children.

But Derek’s eyes caught a few lines that suddenly interested him. In her pretty and neat handwriting, his mother had taken pages to describe a case very similar to Stiles’. Derek could vaguely remember the events that had led her to write that entry, the human who had come looking for her help and how she had asked Laura to keep him and Cora out of the house for the afternoon. He had never given it much thought until that night in his office.

But the human had taken too long to make up his mind and the bite hadn't taken. And for his body to reject Talia Hale’s bite, he had to have been in seriously bad shape. Derek closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. For a second, he had believed his mother held the secret to what he had to do to make all of this go away. But it turned out to be just another dead end.

Derek hadn’t noticed the time ticking by. He only looked up from his desk when he heard Stiles’ soft steps as he made his way over. It was almost three in the morning and there Stiles was, resting against the threshold, tangled up in one of the sheets from their bed. His hair was a mess beyond fixing at his point and Derek was sure Stiles hadn’t bothered to put anything on, but he had never looked better than in that very moment. It did nothing to soothe the ache inside Derek’s chest.

"Hey, you sex me up then I can't find you in bed?" Stiles teased him with a smirk, voice soft as he walked in. Derek huffed, pushing his chair back so Stiles could come straddle his lap. Stiles sighed, comfortable. He circled Derek’s shoulders with his arms, draping the two of them with the sheet. Derek’s skin tingled where it met Stiles’. Derek buried his nose in Stiles’ hair, leaving kisses to his temple.

"I know you never wanted this” Derek spoke, breaking their little bubble. Derek had always tried to be strong whenever Stiles needed him, but this was getting to be a whole new level. They couldn’t risk Stiles ending up a tale in a future journal of his. Derek had already let history repeat itself way too many times “But I need to know if you would let me bite you" 

"Derek..." Stiles started to protest, eyes wide in the brightly lit room, but stopped once Derek’s hand grabbed the back of his neck. Stiles didn’t have to be a wolf to know what that meant. His voice died inside his throat and he bit back a whimper at how Derek’s arm circled his waist, pulling him closer to his naked chest.

"Baby, I'm _horrified"_ Derek squeezed Stiles' waist. He needed to get the words out now. Now that he still felt like mush from his orgasm, now that he had his Mate looking all sleep rumpled and warm against his bare chest. He didn’t think he’d ever find the courage again "You're _everything_ to me, Stiles. And we need to be ready in case these tests come back positive. I don't wanna talk about it either, but we _have_ to be ready. I'll respect whatever you decide, but please, _please,_ consider the bite"

Stiles would have to be blind not to see, and even hear, Derek's fear. It was almost palpable, the wolf's heart thumping so loud and fast underneath his palms it was making him breathless. Stiles didn’t know what to say. Back when Peter had first offered him the bite, Stiles hadn’t had problems refusing it. And, to be fair, he didn’t like that the topic was making a comeback just because they had a problem that needed fixing.

Becoming a werewolf was a huge deal. Stiles’ mind raced to try and grasp the enormity of what Derek was suggesting and he realized he would never be able to rationalize such a thing. Even if he made the conscious decision to give it a shot, there were way too many variables. Becoming Derek’s beta would be amazing, he was sure. But what about _everything_ else? Derek hugged him tight, probably sensing the panic rising in his throat. He pointed to a leather bound book laying open on his desk, tying his own body and mind to Stiles so he wouldn't lose it. 

"Maybe the doctors will figure it out,” Derek sighed, running a hand through his hair. Stiles’ weight on his lap was reassuring and he took a moment to get his wolf to calm down “And maybe there is a good treatment or even a cure for whatever you have" Stiles closed his eyes. Derek knew exactly what he meant about variables. There were way too many ‘maybe’s in that sentence "Read, baby. That page right there"

Stiles didn’t like the silence that fell over them, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. Derek rested his head against the chair, hands finding Stiles’ skin underneath the sheet. Derek was warm enough for the two of them, so Stiles hadn't bothered with finding his clothes on the floor. Derek alone could be quite distracting, but he gave the page his full attention. He wanted to get that conversation over with as quickly as possible.

"Someone had a case like mine" Stiles frowned, grabbing the journal and turning back to Derek “Your mother bit him herself. But the bite didn't take. I thought you said the bite from an evolved werewolf was the strongest kind there is" Stiles’ eyes raced across the page one more time, his ADHD allowing him to have this one rare moment of clarity. 

"And it is. Mom had an iron grip on her wolf. I have no memories of her even struggling with a full moon and she hadn’t evolved yet when we were little. I don’t know, maybe she did a great job at hiding it from us, but my point is, Talia Hale’s bite wasn’t something she went around distributing. She hesitated with this case as well and my guess is she spent the rest of her life thinking it was the reason it didn’t work” Stiles knew he was the only one who knew Derek like this. He had been a mama’s boy his entire life and losing her had been probably the hardest part of the whole ordeal with Kate. In between the sheets, Derek had started to open up to him. With stories of his childhood, which seemed to always involve some kind of baked good and lots of fun. “I do think it was because they waited too long. And I’m scared that if we wait for the doctors to figure this out, which could take months, at best, it’ll be too late for us too. What if you end up forgetting all about the supernatural? You could forget about ever loving me and I won't..."

Derek immediately stopped talking when the panic, which had been at bay, shot up inside Stiles. His hands reached for Derek’s shoulders to steady himself, as if he had had a sudden rush of vertigo. Stiles was the best researcher and he could put anyone’s needs above his own, but Derek would never let anyone be more important to him than Stiles.

How could Stiles have been so _stupid?_ Derek was right. What if Stiles forgot about _him_ _?_ The romantic in him wanted to say that he could never forget Derek, what they had and everything they had endured. But the rational part of his brain screamed for him to wake the fuck up. He had forgotten such important things, who was to say how long it would take him to forget _the_ most important thing in his life?

Stiles tried to swallow past the lump forming inside his throat, but it was of no use. He felt the hot sting of tears in the back of his eyes and he knew panicking would only make Derek feel more agitated and scared, but he couldn’t bring himself to calm down. Jeez, how had things gone so wrong? After everything, Stiles had been naïve to think they were done. Done with all of this bullshit. They sure as hell didn’t deserve _this_.

He hadn't thought about that, hadn't gone that far. But of course Derek had. He had probably been up all this time, thinking about it. A sob escaped him and Stiles bit his bottom lip. He didn't want to forget Derek. The man under him was the love of his life, for crying out loud. Derek hugged him close, hands on his back as they just breathed together for a few moments. There weren’t words good enough for a moment like that. Nothing Derek said or did would calm him down at this point.

"Bite me," Stiles said, pulling away from their hug. He wiped the tears away as best as he could and sat up to look Derek in the eyes. If they were going to do this, Stiles knew Derek needed to see he was all in "Right now. Bite me _now"_

"Stiles..." Derek wanted to protest. Even if they were racing against time to make sure the bite took, they didn’t have to rush it that much. They could still talk about it. Preferably when Stiles didn’t reek of terror, with some food in their systems. Sure as hell not at three in the morning. But Stiles wasn’t having it. He closed his eyes, fresh tears coming to the surface as he shook his head vehemently.

"No! I'm not forgetting you! I'm not gonna forget us, okay?” Derek didn’t know if those words were directed at him or if Stiles was trying to reassure himself in this matter “I won't let my own _body_ do this to me, to you, _to us._ We nearly died hundreds of times and this is what's going to kill us? Uh-uh, no way. Bite me, _fuck this shit,_ do it now. I’m in”

"Stiles, let's not make this decision when you're not thinking straight" Derek wanted to calm him down. The scent of sex, vanilla and panic was a risky combination for Derek’s wolf, who was already sitting on its haunches, planning his attack. He could feel the threat, examined it like a predator would a wounded animal. Derek tried to take a deep breath to steady himself, but all it did was saturate his lungs even more. All he could see, smell and even taste, was Stiles.

"Oh, I'm thinking straight, alright” Stiles laughed, a bitter and scornful laugh “I'm thinking of the first time we made love or our first date. I'm thinking of the first time you held my hand or the first time we went to the beach together. I'm thinking of our wedding..." Stiles felt tears stinging at his eyes again, his throat tight with horror at what their future held. He couldn’t believe _this_ was what he was being reduced to "I don't want to forget you, baby..." Stiles had his hands in Derek's hair, the wolf holding his thighs, whining in Stiles’ embrace. Skin contact had always been a balm for Derek, but not this time "... I held back, wanting you for so long and forgetting you, even if just small things, one at a time, would be hell, Derek, _we won't survive that._ So, bite me. I can take it. With you here, I can do anything. Do it, I'm ready. I want this, I want to be with you. No matter how, no matter what species I belong to"

In the back of Derek's mind, he knew they should wait at least until the next weekend for this. They should give enough time for Stiles to go to work even if Derek drove him everyday, and give him time to go through the shift without worrying about the outside world. But he couldn't, not when Stiles, his rock, his anchor, his mate, his lover, his husband, his best friend, kept _begging_ him for the bite. It was too much, too good a request, for his wolf to resist. 

So Derek reached for Stiles as best as he could, keeping him locked in place. His gums itched and he allowed his canines to elongate and thicken as he bit. He held his breath, not wanting to inhale any more of Stiles’ sweet scent. He couldn’t give himself the luxury of losing control at a time like this. Derek bit down, strong and wide, where Stiles’ neck and shoulder met.

Stiles screamed, his body convulsing in Derek’s iron grip. It was painful, Derek knew that much, but it hurt unlike anything Stiles had ever experienced before. Not like the bullet wound or the multiple stabs. He tried to tell himself they were doing this because they wanted to. They wanted to survive this and Stiles _knew_ it was hurting Derek to do this under these circumstances, out of need more than out of Stiles wanting to be a werewolf.

Stiles _knew_ how this being so rushed would leave Derek to drown in his own guilt. Derek had never had many good things in his life and this was a big step for them. It would change who they were as a couple, not only in the individual sense of things. If anything went wrong, Stiles knew Derek would blame himself forever. But he couldn’t help but want for it to stop. Because it _hurt_ , almost like every single one of his bones were cracking and turning to dust, pure fire traveling through his veins. He felt like one big nerve ending rubbed raw with alcohol.

When Stiles passed out from the pain, Derek kept him up in his grip. Derek needed to make sure the bite was completed and that he had done everything he could to ensure it took. He had never used the bite, not after evolving. His mother hadn’t exactly written about it in her journals.

Derek took Stiles to their room, gently putting him down on their bed and _waited._ Waited for what felt like an eternity for the bite to heal. The waiting part had never been that bad with Boyd, Erica or Isaac. His betas had taken quite a while, but nothing like this. Erica had been the one with bigger health issues, so Derek had been prepared for her shift to take the longest. But not even hers had taken so many hours.

Derek did his best to focus on Stiles' heartbeat, which remained steady after he passed out. He kept listening to it, as he kept himself busy around the house. He couldn’t bring himself to leave the apartment, of course, but he did the laundry, organized their pantry. Anything to keep his body occupied while he waited. His mind was safe as long as his wolf maintained focus on Stiles. It was his body he had to worry about. Derek knew his body would go crazy with impatience as he fumbled with the sheets that covered Stiles' sleeping form or the pillow under his head. 

Derek laid his head on top of Stiles' chest repeatedly, listening for any change in the rhythm that had become as familiar to him as his own. Derek’s eyes would close immediately. It had been almost twenty four hours since the bite and the wound was still open, glistening from how Derek cleaned it from time to time, to keep it from infecting. 

Derek could feel the desperation inside himself building. It shouldn't take this long! But then he heard it. Slowly at first, then all at once as Stiles' skin knitted itself back together. It happened so fast Derek hadn’t been quick enough to keep up with the shift. Derek let out a shaky breath, almost a relieved laughter. The bite had taken.

When Stiles woke up, Derek was there. Of course he was. Stiles immediately reached for his own neck, which was sore as hell. Stiles hadn’t expected to feel any kind of pain, but it made sense. The bite throbbed and Stiles could feel how deep it ran, through skin, muscle and tissue. It wasn’t just a shifting bite. It was a claiming one as well.

"Oh, my God..." Stiles whispered. But it was the sound of Derek’s laugh that made him completely ignore everything about himself and the world around him. His senses were heading into overdrive, but Derek remained central through it all.

Derek chuckled and Stiles' hand froze. Stiles slowly blinked his eyes open, giving them a moment to get used to it all. Stiles could see better now. Better as in, _better._ Like his eyes were brand new. And Derek's face was suddenly in high definition. Fuck, if Derek hadn’t been absoltely beautiful before. The wolf smiled down at him, waiting for it all to sink in. 

"Derek..." Stiles reached for him and in no time Derek was on top of him. Derek groaned at the contact, which pulled at everything inside Stiles. His brain tried to process the feelings, how all of these chains inside him seemed to loosen. He realized a moment later it was his wolf, responding to the embrace Derek pulled him into. Stiles couldn’t help but smile. He looked forward to getting acquainted with the new guy.

Derek squeezed him in reassurance of his presence and Stiles sighed. Stiles opened his eyes and saw their apartment for what felt like the first time. The colors on the painting that had been hanging on the wall seemed to have come to life. Stiles made a mental note to replace it. Gosh, it was hideous! But Stiles was more than happy to just bask in the glory of it all, of Derek’s heat and touch. He knew his mind wasn’t even close to truly comprehending what it meant for them, but he had to guess it was a good place to start.

"Derek, I…” Stiles laughed, because he couldn’t find the words to describe what he was feeling. This entire experience was so otherworldly that he was having trouble believing it was really his life now. Derek’s heartbeat sounded loud and clear to his ears and he heard what sounded like a whine, coming from inside his own head. _Yeah, I get it, buddy. Derek, am I right?_

"It's okay, baby" Derek whispered, pulling back to brush Stiles' hair out of his eyes. Derek had a glint of pride in his eyes. Stiles couldn’t believe he had ever described those eyes as cruel, when they were spilling warmth "The Bite took and you're going to feel a lot of things at once. But you can just focus on me, use me to keep the wolf in control"

Stiles knew Derek was describing an anchor, but it was easier said than done. Stiles held on to Derek's shirt, hand on his shoulder as he took deep breaths, doing as he was told. It was weird how Derek's scent had always made him calm, but now it was heightened, multiplied by the thousands. Like honeysuckle and thyme, with a strange aftertaste of mint. Stiles understood wolves, knew pretty much everything there was to know about them, but now he felt all of it himself. He was afraid he would be consumed by all the things he couldn’t understand, but through it all, there Derek was. Right in the eye of the hurricane.

Derek smiled at him, hands on every inch of skin they could find. Derek knew it was an overload of information, of sensations and emotions. Every newborn wolf should have someone there to guide them and, all things considered, Derek was more than happy to be the one there for Stiles. This was the most important moment in Stiles’ new life and he loved getting to share it with him.

When Stiles opened his eyes the next second, they were golden. A gorgeous and bright shade of gold Derek had never seen before. And he smiled, the wolf in him howling. Talia had talked to him about this once, a long time ago. It's what happens when you turn a human you were so close to, it reflects on them. Stiles blinked a few times, but fixed his stare when Derek flashed his blue eyes at him. Stiles was a beta to an evolved wolf and it showed.

"It burns the first few times, I know” Derek clearly had more control over that part of the change, being able to bring it forth or keep it hidden at will. Stiles felt the sting of the change, but he decided he’d welcome everything about this. So, his second mental note of the day was to check his eyes out in the mirror as soon as he could “It did for me too"

Then Stiles threw all caution to the wind and kissed him. Derek gasped, arm closing around Stiles’ back to hold them both in place. Stiles had no idea how strong he was now and could have easily knocked them both over. Derek couldn’t help but smile. He was at the epicenter of Stiles’ life now and he was thankful to feel his mouth on his. 

It was a slow kiss at first. Stiles pulled Derek down toward him and the evolved one happily went down with him. Derek rested on his arms and opened his lips for Stiles to taste him however he wanted. They laughed into each other’s mouths as they spread legs and let themselves touch for what felt like the first time all over again. Stiles groaned at Derek’s weight on top of him, but pulled him even closer still. 

As the kiss heated up, Derek hissed. Then he laughed when Stiles covered his mouth with his hand. Derek pulled back, kneeling on the bed. He touched his bottom lip and looked at the drop of blood on his finger. Soon enough, the cut was gone. Stiles looked completely horrified, though.

"Hey, it's okay" Derek chuckled when Stiles continued covering his mouth. Derek rested on his palms and pouted so Stiles could see his lip "See? Already healed. Come ‘ere, let me see them..."

Derek softly removed Stiles’ hand and cupped his cheeks. With his thumb, Derek gently pushed his top lip up as he looked at the fangs. They still weren't fully developed, but it made sense they would come down. Their kiss was becoming heated and it was very easy for a wolf to lose track of himself in a moment like that. 

"They're beautiful" Derek smiled, leaving a kiss to a still dumbfounded Stiles. Shit, he had fangs now. Though Derek healed, he needed to be extra careful not to hurt him "I know it's a lot, but I'm here, okay? If it gets too much, just find me"

Stiles couldn’t help but smile. No matter how changed he felt, the love he had always known Derek felt for him remained the exact same. Derek’s heart had a way of adapting when it came to those he cared about and he doubted Derek knew how that was another one of the many things Stiles loved about him.

"Speaking of getting too much, I should probably tell you I called the office earlier today” Stiles arched his brow, coming up to rest his weight on his elbows. Derek was still secure in between his legs and the wolf made no mention to move out from there "That colleague of yours, Danny, was it? He was very pleased to finally meet me, though he was very sad to hear of your migraine. I told him you might not come in until Monday"

"Oh, I'm sure he was very pleased, indeed” Stiles smiled, remembering all the times he had confided in Danny about how in love he was. It had been almost pathetic, really. Stiles ran his hand through Derek's hair, only to have a kiss be planted on his palm, making him smile.

"What's your name?" Derek whispered, green eyes flashing with despair for a quick moment before he managed to hide the feeling all over again. Stiles tried sitting up, but Derek didn’t let him. Stiles then knew this wasn’t up for debate or argument "Just... do this for me. Please”

"My name is Mieczyslaw Stilinski-Hale and I married you, the love of my life, right here in New York City on October 17, 2015” Derek closed his eyes, pressing Stiles’ hand more firmly against his cheek. His nose found his pulse point, where his scent was strongest and Derek could’ve sworn he was high off of it “Your anniversary present is on the top shelf of my side of the closet, where I knew you would never think to look" Derek arched his brow and Stiles smiled wider "Because today is October 2, 2017 and our anniversary is in 15 days and it took me a long time to decide what to get you cause I had so many options, so I just decided to get them all" Stiles said, chuckling "I thought it would get easier with time, but it was worse than last year. We met in Beacon Hills, California when I was on my Freshman year of High School and I tried to get my father to arrest you the very next day" Derek rolled his eyes, but didn't fight the smile that wanted to take over his face "And I fell in love with you along the way, probably around the time the Nogitsune came out"

"Really?" Derek whispered softly, not wanting to disrupt him. His hand was on Stiles' thigh, caressing it and Derek felt him humming underneath him.

"Yeah, I could remember everything, all the horrible things I couldn't stop the Nogitsune from doing. But whenever I had my hands on you" Stiles' let his hands slide down Derek's shoulders, the wolf pushing into the feeling, the skin warm and tingling as it drew paths "It was when I fought the hardest. I couldn't stand hurting you even more. You and I were finally on the same side, we weren't exactly friends back then, but we were pack. And after Erica and Boyd, after being there for you, I couldn't stand being the one to hurt you. That's when I realized I felt something for you than ran deeper than just respect or even attraction" Stiles smiled, jokingly "I thought it was admiration, at first, but I knew I was just fooling myself at that point"

"So you're telling me you realized you loved me almost 6 years ago and you never told me? Only when we faced the Anuk-Ite?" Derek knew these revelations changed nothing between them. But, still, it would have been nice to know all of this back when they had first started dating. They had spent so much time talking, Derek had never thought to ask any of it.

"You were taking care of yourself, Derek" Stiles shrugged, like it really wasn’t that big of a deal "You deserved to have that"

"What I deserved..." Derek moved until their noses were almost touching "...was for the hyperactive spaz of a boy I was madly in love with to tell me he loved me back"

Stiles threw his head back and laughed, arms hugging Derek when the wolf started kissing down his neck.

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> Thnak you for reading <3


End file.
